Business
Writer’s Digest
Crafting an Interconnected World, One Short Story at a Time
As writers, we're drawn to the accomplishment of typing The End, especially when it's a short story. But have you ever closed the computer and thought, Is there more to this story? If so, you're not alone.
6 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Soul Connection
Whether hot off the presses or on the shelves for years, a good book is worth talking about.
3 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Collaborating With Your Reader
How to create the scaffolding readers need to enter your story.
9 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Connecting Young Readers to History
Alyssa Colman's new novel paints a picture of the past to help us connect with the present.
4 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Isabel Cañas
In the May/June 2022 issue of WD, I featured The Hacienda by Isabel Cañas in our Breaking In column. A haunted house story at its core, Cañas' debut novel is set in the aftermath of the Mexican War for Independence and tackles issues of feminism, religion, folk magic, and familial secrets. It was my first horror novel for the column, and I was so excited that Cañas wanted to be a part of it—I knew that novel was something special.
10+ min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
The Mid-Career Query
If you've had some publishing experience without an agent, is it worth it to try to find one mid-career?
8 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
2025 Annual Agent Roundup
20+ literary agents open to queries detail what they're looking for and how best to connect with them.
3 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Querying as Courtship
Yes, You're Trying to Impress, But So Are We
3 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Soul-Shaped Hole
Write a short story of 650 words or fewer based on the photo below.
2 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Ethically Diverse Storytelling, Part 1
Tips for making your story concrete.
4 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Finding the Write-Life Balance in a Hyper-Connected World
With more companies than ever requiring their employees back in the office to connect in person, the topic of “work-life balance” has returned with a renewed focus.
5 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Megan Linski
Over 60 titles published (Fantasy romance, new adult, paranormal, contemporary; Gryfyn Publishing)
2 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Poetic Asides
No matter what you write, a bit of poetic license can be a valuable asset to any writer's arsenal.
3 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
18 Connections to Make in Publishing
Writing is a very solitary experience. Publishing, on the other hand, is very collaborative in a variety of ways, with many people involved. Even if you sneak a quick peek at the masthead of this magazine, you'll spot the names of many different types of editors, an art director, marketing designer, competitions manager, VP general manager, advertising reps, and customer service—and that still doesn't include everyone involved with getting out an issue of this magazine every two months. Publishing is a team effort, so I wanted to spotlight many of the people writers can make connections with. Keep in mind that for smaller operations, one person may fill multiple roles.
4 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
In Support of the Semicolon
Making the most of the guideposts of writing.
2 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
The Parent Trap
Writing Responsibly About Your Child
5 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Carrying Jane Austen's Torch
Modern Romance Authors on Writing Novels With Social Justice Narratives
7 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
A Beautiful and Everlasting moment of Pleasure
The first-place winner of the 25th annual Writer's Digest Short Short Story Competition explores how lonely and devastating love can be, even as you hope for better.
6 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
Classy Ways to Use Connections
As the author of many books my family hates and a longtime journalism prof, I love helping aspiring writers get published, paying forward the kindness of my mentors. When people approach me for advice, assistance, and names of my agents and editors, I try to be generous, even when they're basically asking, “How can I have your career?” But there are good ways to connect—and ways not to.
4 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
A Squeeze of the Hand
I discovered Penelope Fitzgerald's work in 1999.
3 min |
September/October 2025
Writer’s Digest
On Music Publications, Initiative, and Creating Your Own Channel
Usually when I share markets in this column, I find a few in a specific category that are open to freelance writers—that is, they have rather expansive and detailed instructions on how to submit.
5 min |
July/August 2025
Writer’s Digest
Small But Mighty
Why small presses might be the perfect home for your book.
9 min |
July/August 2025
Writer’s Digest
BUILDINGBETTERWORLDS
It's probably not a shock to you—especially if you've read quite a bit of my work here at WD—but one of my favorite shows of all-time is “Supernatural.”
5 min |
July/August 2025
Writer’s Digest
A Change (of Scenery) Would Do You Good
How to vary your setting to your story’s advantage.
7 min |
July/August 2025
Writer’s Digest
No, You Can't Use AI
Think about the best cheeseburger you ever had. If you don't eat cheeseburgers for personal, dietary, or religious reasons, substitute your favorite type of food for the sake of the analogy.
7 min |
July/August 2025
Writer’s Digest
FRONTLIST/BACKLIST
Whether hot off the presses or on the shelves for years, a good book is worth talking about.
3 min |
July/August 2025
Writer’s Digest
Ye Olde Writing Rules
We recently stumbled upon a long-lost manuscript, The Limner's Elements of Stylish Prose: Writing During the Plague by E. B. Black the Elder.
2 min |
July/August 2025
Writer’s Digest
The Case for the Colon
If punctuation marks were performers, the colon would be the master of ceremonies: commanding attention, bridging ideas, and spotlighting what matters.
2 min |
July/August 2025
Writer’s Digest
The Disappearing (Reappearing) Literary Journalist
I backed into a career in literary journalism, a disappearing subgenre of creative nonfiction, accidentally because I wrote bad poetry.
5 min |
July/August 2025
Writer’s Digest
Riley Sager
New York Times bestselling thriller novelist Riley Sager writes from the intersection of what entertains him and what he knows readers have come to love and expect from a Riley Sager novel.
10+ min |